Trap for collecting lint discharged from a washing machine



Wm 6, 1970 B. mam Mm@ TRAP FOR COLLECTING LINT DISCHARGED FROM A WASHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2. 1968 United States Patent O 3,487,944 TRAP FOR COLLECTING LINT DISCHARGED FROM A WASHING MACHINE Belle Tucker, 6250 N. Avers Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60645 Filed Feb. 2, 1968, Ser. No. 702,598 Int. Cl. B01d 35/28, .i5/16 U.S. Cl. 210-463 4 vClaims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE As is well known, one of the problems in the discharge of the water from a washing machine is that the water carries with it the lint from the clothes or other articles that are washed. The outlet pipe or hose of the washing machine is positioned so that the water and the lint empty into a sink or basin and in a short period of time the lint will clog the sink drain causing the water being emptied into the sink to back up and overflow and may also prevnt the discharge of water and lint from the washing machine. The clogging of the sink drain makes it necessary to clean it frequently and sometimes requires the use of tools and the like.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a trap which is readily attachable to the outlet hose of the washing machine so that as the water and lint pass from the washing machine through the trap the lint will be trapped, yet permit the water to continue to rlow therethrough and be discharged into the sink. The trap can be readily cleansed and the lint can be emptied into a wastebasket or other receptacle or otherwise disposed of.

Another object of this invention is to provide a lint trap which is readily attachable to and detachable from any conventional outlet pipe of a washing machine and in which the lint trap may be easily and readily cleansed of the lint therein trapped.

Another object of this invention is to provide a lint trap provided with -an overow outlet so that if the lint trapped therein clogs the outlet of the trap and prevents the flow of the water that the water will ow through the overilow outlet, putting the person on notice that the trap is lled with lint and has to be emptied.

Another object of this invention is to provide a very simple and inexpensive device.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view showing the application of the invention to a washing machine and the manner in which it is associated with the sink.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged central sectional view showing the invention.

FIG. 3 is a reduced plan view partly in section taken on lines 3-3 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of certain of the parts.

The conventional washing machine, generally indicated by the numeral 10, is provided with a flexible hose or pipe, generally indicated at 12, through which the water and the lint from the Washing machine passes and empties into a conventional sink 13 having the usual drain 14. The lint trap forming this invention is generally indicated by the numeral 16 and said trap is adapted to be secured to the outlet end of the flexible hose or tube 12 so that the water will pass through the trap before it empties into the sink 13 and the lint will be trapped in the trap. The trap 16 can be readily cleansed.

The device includes a tubular member, pipe or condiut, designated by the numeral 18, made of metal, plastic or other rigid material. The tube or pipe is preferably of the shape best shown in FIGS. l and 2, which is of a generally L-shaped configuration with a depending portion extending from the base of the L-shaped portion and same consists of an upper vertically extending tube section 20, an intermediate horizontal tube section 22 and a lower vertically extending tube section 24, all integrally formed.

Connected to the outlet end of the lower tube section 24 is a housing or trap body, generally indicated at 26. The lower exterior wall of said housing or trap body is externally threaded as at 28. A screen 30 formed of wire or other material and of circular shape is positioned against the outlet end of the trap body 26, with a supporting member 32 positioned below the screen. The supporting member 32 comprises an annular ring 34 with a central cross-shaped member 36 extending inside the ring and integrally formed therewith. An internally threaded screw cap or ring 38 having a lower circumferential lip or shoulder 40 is threadedly secured to the threads 28 of the trap body 26 so that the screen and support member rest on the shoulder 40. This supports the screen 30 and supporting member 32 in a detachably secured position yadjacent the outlet end of the trap body 26.

The upper end of the trap body 26 is closed by a circular plate 42 having an inwardly turned peripheral lip 44 which is crimped to the annular flange 46 to secure the plate 42 to the trap body. The plate 42 has spaced openings 48. The openings 48 permit the overflow of the water should the screen 30 become clogged. Thus, water entering the trap body 26 will :Elow out through the top openings 48 if it cannot flow out through the screen 30. This serves as a warning that the trap is iilled with lint and needs to Ibe cleansed. The plate cover 4Z has a central opening `50 to which is crimped as at 52 a short tubular extension 54 which is iixedly secured to the lower conduit section 24. The pipe or conduit 18 is thus Xedly connected to the trap body 26.

The upper section 20 of the pipe of the lint trap unit is secured to the flexible pipe or hose 12 by inserting the upper section 20 into the outlet end of the liexible hose 12 and then placing a clamp 56 around the flexible pipe to clamp the two together. The clamp can be any strap clamp well-known in the art.

While there is shown a pipe or conduit 18 of L-shaped conguration with a dependent portion 24, this shape is primarily to permit the unit to be positioned on the ledge 15 of the basin or sink 13, as shown in FIG. l. As shown, the horizontal section 22 of the pipe 18 will rest on the ledge 15 and support the trap inside the sink 13 adjacent one of the walls of the sink. It will of course be understood that in lieu of the particular shape of pipe 18 the pipe may be straight, with the trap housing and the other elements as shown and described.

The water and lint from the washing machine 10 will pass through the flexible outlet tube 12, through the pipe or conduit 18 into the trap body or housing 26. The screen 30 will prevent the lint from passing through the trap body 26, however, the water will continue to flow through the screen 30 into the sink or basin 13 and will empty through the sink outlet pipe or drain 14. The lint will remain trapped in the trap body 26. When the trap body 26 becomes lled with lint, it will be removed therefrom by unscrewing the screw ring 38 which permits the removal of the screen 30 and support 32. The lint is removed from the bottom open end of the trap body 26. The screen 30 can then be washed. 'Ihe parts are then reassembled and connected to the trap body 26.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for trapping the lint discharged with the fiow of water through an outlet conduit of a Washing machine, said device comprising a lint trap housing connectible to the outlet conduit, said lint trap housing having non-perforate sides and having a discharge opening at the bottom thereof, a screen extending across the bottom discharge opening whereby the Water is permitted to pass through the screen at the bottom but the lint is retained in said lint trap housing, said screen being detacha-bly secured to the bottom of said housing for removal therefrom for cleaning same, said device having means adapted to rest on the ledge of a sink or the like to support said device, said lint trap having an upper end connected to the outlet conduit of the Washing machine, said lint trap housing having at least one large opening as compared to the openings in the screen in the upper portion thereof to permit overflow of water when the screen is obstructed.

2. A structure as delined in claim 1 in which the upper end of the lint trap is connected to a rigid conduit which is of generally L-shaped configuration with a vertically extending depending portion, with the upper end of said rigid conduit connected to the outlet conduit of the Washing machine.

3. A structure as dened in claim 2 in which the horizontally extending portion of the L-shaped conduit is adapted to rest on the ledge of a sink or the like to support same.

4. A structure as dened in claim 2 in which the vertically depending portion of the L-shaped conduit is connected to the lint trap housing and in which the large opening in the lint trap housing is adjacent the vertically depending portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,617,504 2/1927 Shinn 210-459 1,782,531 11/1930 Fokker 210-459 X 2,754,003 7/1956 Fenner 210--460 X REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner T. A. GRANGER, Assistant Examiner 

